1969 Kennedy

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The Kennedy half dollar, first minted in 1964, is a currently-struck fifty cent coin issued by the United States Mint. Planned as a memorial to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, it was sanctioned by Congress merely over a month after his passing away. Using existing works by Mint sculptors Gilroy Roberts and Frank Gasparro permitted dies to be prepared with great speed, and striking of proof coins commenced in January 1964, with mintage of coins for circulation commencing the following month.

The coins faded from circulation right after their release in April 1964 as a result of collectors, hoarders, and those enthusiastic about a memento of the late president. Although the Mint significantly increased production, the coins nonetheless failed to circulate. On going rises in the price of silver increased the hoarding and triggered the removal of the metal from the denomination, decreasing the percent of fine silver per coin from 90 % to fourty % (the "silver clad" pieces). Even after this change was made, the coins did not circulate appreciably, as the now-replaced Franklin half dollar had.

In 1971, silver was taken out altogether from the coins. A special design for the reverse of the half dollar was supplied for the United States Bicentennial and was minted in 1975 and 1976. In combination with business strikes, special collector coins were struck for the Bicentennial in silver clad; silver proof sets in which the dime, quarter and half dollar were struck in 90% silver were first minted in 1992. Although adequate supplies of half dollars are now obtainable, their circulation is quite limited. Since 2002, Kennedy half dollars have only been minted to meet the desire from collectors, and are obtainable through the Mint.